by Paul White, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul White, USA TODAY Sports

There's six days left in Major League Baseball's regular season. The latest playoff snapshot after Monday's games:

American League

Who's in: Boston (East winner), Oakland (West winner)

If the playoffs started today

Wild card game â?? Cleveland at Tampa Bay

Division Series - Wild card winner at Boston

Detroit at Oakland

Pressure Points

Texas improved to 15-2 against Houston and has two more games with the Astros. That's a dozen more than any other wild card contender has against baseball's worst team. Yet, the Rangers still trail in the race.

Boston leads Oakland by one game for best record. A tie would be broken by their intradivision records since they split their six head-to-head games. Oakland is 42-29 (.591) with five division games left, Boston 43-30 (.589) with three left.

Today

Detroit's magic number in the Central is two, meaning the Tigers can clinch with a victory at Minnesota and a Cleveland loss against the White Sox.

The playoff pool can be reduced for the first time in a couple of weeks. Baltimore is out if the Orioles lose at home to Toronto and Cleveland wins.

The lone head-to-head matchup among contenders is the Rays opening a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees' tragic number for elimination is three.

Kansas City has back-to-back extra-inning wins following a 12-inning victory in Seattle but the Royals, with Tampa Bay, are one of only two wild-card hopefuls without any home games remaining. Kansas City has two more in Seattle and four in Chicago.

National League

Who's in: The field is complete with Washington's elimination Monday. It's just a matter or sorting out which of the three NL Central representatives wins the division and who gets stuck in the wild-card game.

If the playoffs started today

Wild card game â?? Cincinnati at Pittsburgh

Division Series - Wild card winner at Atlanta

Los Angeles at St. Louis

Pressure Points

If the Pirates or Reds can't overcome St. Louis' two-game lead in the Central, they would meet in the wild-card game. Home advantage for that game would be determined this weekend with Pittsburgh playing the final three games in Cincinnati. If they finish tied, head-to-head play determines the home team â??and they've split their first 16 meetings.

A closer controversy hardly is good news this time of year, but Trevor Rosenthal got the save for St. Louis on Monday. Has he replaced struggling Edward Mujica? Are other Cardinals relievers in the mix? Says manager Mike Matheny, "Stay tuned."

Today

The Reds continue their home series with the Mets and the Pirates visit the Cubs as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati remain tied for the two wild-card spots and retain hopes of catching the Cardinals.

Atlanta's lead is down to a half-game over St. Louis for best record. The Braves play one of two remaining home games against Milwaukee tonight before finishing with four at home against the Phillies.

The Dodgers, two games behind Atlanta, begin a three-game series in San Francisco.